This invention relates to a billing system which documents the encounter between a healthcare provider and a patient.
In the age of third party payments, it is essential for billing purposes that the appropriate level of service be recorded for each provider-patient encounter. If the level of service recorded is higher than the level of service actually performed, the healthcare provider is subject to liability for over charging. On the other hand, if the level of service recorded is lower than that actually performed, the healthcare provider loses money. Because the potential liability for over billing is so high, healthcare providers routinely tend to record the level of an encounter lower than warranted by services actually delivered so as to forestall a charge of over billing. There is therefore a need for accurately determining and recording the appropriate level of encounter when a healthcare provider renders services. In addition to assigning accurately a level of service, it is also important for a healthcare provider to record accurately and promptly procedures performed on a patient and the diagnosis or diagnoses which prompted the encounter. The present invention offers the healthcare provider a hand-held apparatus for quickly and accurately recording data essential for accurate and appropriate patient billing.